Nether Prov fire vehicles set for review

NETHER PROVIDENCE -- A state review will examine whether the two fire companies that service the township have the right mix of vehicles and equipment.

Commissioners President Nate Much said the independent evaluation to be done by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development will be especially useful since the last such assessment was performed in 1979.

He added that both the South Media and Garden City fire companies have agreed to undergo the review and endorse the idea.

The board voted 7-0 at its meeting on Jan. 10 to approve a letter of intent regarding the study. The possibility of a merger or consolidation of services will not be part of the examination.

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Commissioner Larry Baker said the results will be nonbinding.

"We're not bound to make changes. ... It's just to provide guidelines" on what constitute the appropriate numbers and types of fire apparatus, he said.

Much said the findings should be beneficial when the 2013 budget development process gets under way late in the year. That is particularly true since the township provides the funding for new vehicles for the volunteer fire companies.

Indeed, South Media Fire Co. officials have been lobbying the board since 2008 for a new pumper truck, estimated to cost about $650,000. They did so again during the 2012 budget development process.

Faced with fiscal constraints, the board has repeatedly deferred action on the request.

The township is still paying off a ladder truck it secured for the Garden City Fire Co. in 2007 under a lease-purchase agreement. The payments for that vehicle were spread out over a decade.